


Definitely Not a Vacation

by MicoRx



Series: Not a Vacation [1]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: But also not, M/M, Mutual Pining, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, he planned this, sokka is oblivious
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24894895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MicoRx/pseuds/MicoRx
Summary: Zuko is lonely at the palace. Two years into his reign as Firelord and that hasn't changed. Ambassador Sokka suggests a little not-vacation to get him to lighten up.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Not a Vacation [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1803706
Comments: 15
Kudos: 492





	1. 1

Sokka is really, really bad at this. This being... anything to do with politics. He was too boisterous, too ragged, too messy for the stuffy nobles. He didn't mind it at all. He was a war hero, damn the nobles who thought they were the boss of him. However, someone else wasn't a fan.

"Sokk-aaa..." The way Zuko said his name made Sokka feel all warm and tingly. Not really, he just liked seeing Zuko look as if he wanted to drown in the turtleduck pond. He examined the new-ish Firelord for a moment, before Zuko spoke again. "I know for a fact you're aware Ambassador Hoshi hates you." Yeah. Yeah he does, Sokka thought proudly. "So why do you always act as if you can say whatever you want?"

Sokka pouted briefly at his friend. "But I can. He's just too stubborn to admit it. If he wants the Earth Kingdom to be given that much money in reparations-"  
"-they deserve it after what the Fire Nation has done."

He ignored Zuko, not wanting to argue about the past sins of the Fire Nation. At this moment. "-then maybe he should start advocating for his people and not his pockets."

Zuko gently gripped the bridge of his nose for a moment, sighing. "Regardless, I'd rather give him as much as he needs to help rebuild, just in case. I don't want to strain our relationship even more." He thought for a moment about all the irreparable damage he had seen on his journey's. Lee's town, the lower ring of Ba Sing Se... Along with countless others, he knew he needed to start somewhere. Perhaps he could send some carpenters as well...

Sokka rolled his eyes, placing his hand on Zuko's shoulder and pulling him down the hallway. The servants knew by now that this was a normal occurance, and paid no mind to the two friends. "Whatever. I want Fire Flakes."

"You always want Fire Flakes, Sokka."

"Then you shouldn't be surprised."  
-  
After Sokka had eaten his fair share of Fire Flakes (and then some of Zuko's) the topic of politics seemed to be behind them. The two rarely talked about work outside of meetings and the not-so-rare nights Sokka found himself in Zuko's study helping with the ever growing pile of parchment. 

Currently they sat at the turtleduck pond, both staring into it silently. For a bit, at least. "I don't know how long I can stay this time." Sokka murmured, his voice a bit less confident than it usually was. It reminded Zuko of how he sounded o the way to the Boiling Rock all those years ago. Wait... wasn't that just two summers ago? It felt much longer. 

"I know. Your tribe... how is the rebuilding?"

"Katara and some of the northern water benders are rebuilding it, but... it takes a lot, you know? And it is going well..." Sokka paused.  
"But you want to be with your family again." Zuko said quietly, making Sokka flinch a little. He didn't like bringing up family with Zuko. Crazy father, crazier sister, missing mother... There really was only one good egg on Zuko's side and even Iroh wasn't at the palace much anymore. 

"Yeah." He agreed, looking at Zuko. The Firelord seemed emotionless at that moment, staring down at the turtleducks as they ate the bread Zuko was handing them. But Sokka knew better. Sokka saw how hard it was for Zuko to admit it, but he knew he was lonely. The palace was full of people, but none of them were his friends. They were his servants, staff, but none of them actually trusted him. Not yet. That would take... a while, at least. "Maybe... you could come with me."

Zuko's good eye widened for a fraction of a second, before he turned to face Sokka fully. "What?"

"Come with me!" Sokka said starting to smile. "It would be great! You'd get to see Katara and Aang again, and get to take a break from being the Firelord!"   
"There is no breaks from being the Firelord, Sokka. You know this."

Sokka waved him off, beginning to pace. "You could bring some paperwork so you can say that it's a work trip! It'll be great, Zuko. You need to leave this place every now and then. Come on, what do you say?" Sokka held out his hand, his gigantic grin making Zuko soften slightly. 

Zuko reached up and hesitantly grabbed Sokka's hand, to which Sokka replied with yanking him up off the ground and making them both stumble into the turtleduck pond. Zuko steamed a little, before looking at Sokka. "This is going to happen more at the South Pole, isn't it."

Sokka laughed a little under his breath, before pulling Zuko out of the pond and running with him back into the palace. Both of them were soaked and tracking water through the palace, but Sokka's laugh was infectious. The servants smiled as they mopped up the water, giggling as Zuko was hauled into the royal suite.

"So you're going to need parkas, casual robes, some work to make this not be a vacation, your dao, your-" Zuko sat on his bed, watching Sokka flit through the room. He knew better than to get in Sokka's way when he was like this. He crossed his arms, trying to quell the uneasy feeling in his stomach. It's not that he didn't want to go... He just didn't want to end up doing anything he would end up regretting.


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the way to the Southern Tribe, Zuko and Sokka take a nap. And bond and crap.

Zuko saw Sokka on the ship before he saw the ship. Really. This wasn't anything new. His eyes always found Sokka before anything else. He supposed it might be because Sokka was waving his arms and jumping up and down like a rabbaroo. 

Zuko groaned under his breath, silently hoping for something dire to require him to stay in the palace. He looked back at the guards who were following him to the boat, slowly realizing he was going to be going with Sokka for two weeks. With relative privacy. Great. 

He boarded the ship and quickly found himself being tackled. He wrapped his arms around Sokka as he was attacked, holding him up as Sokka clung to him. Sokka eventually let him go and led him to their shared quarters. Due to the fact that Zuko refused to travel with servants, they were taking a small ship. It resembled the one he spent the first part of his teenage years on.

In the room, there was one bed. Zuko blinked as he looked around, and Sokka rubbed the back of his neck. "I could sleep on the floor, don't worry."

"Don't be ridiculous, Sokka. It is one night." Zuko said immediately, stepping further into the room to place his bag on the bed. Also to hide his blush, but he would never admit to the flush rising on his cheeks. 

"Are you sure? I wouldn't want the almighty Firelord Zuko to be uncomfortable. After all-- you are used to-"

"Ugh, Sokka, just shut up!"

Sokka laughed at him and hit him on the back, before flopping onto the bed. It was early in the morning, so no wonder Sokka wanted to lay down. He stretched out like a cat, before smiling up at Zuko.

Zuko looked him in the eyes, losing himself in them. He couldn't stop looking.

Something about Sokka's eyes always reeled him in. He couldn't place it. Maybe because blue was such a rare color in the fire nation. Or the way his lashes gently brushed his cheeks when he blinked. Or the way they dilated when he ate seal jerky. Or-

After about a minute, he stepped away and looked across the room to break himself of his trance.

"-and then we can go penguin sledding and feed the polarbear dogs and-"

Good to see he didn't miss anything important while he was busy pining. He released a slow breath, the candles in the room responding to it. 

"Sokka!" Zuko interrupted him harshly, making Sokka sit up. 

"Yeah?"

Zuko looked at the hurt expression on his face and calmed, feeling a bit guilty for interrupting Sokka during his planning stage. "...scoot over." 

Sokka did so gladly, patting the bed next to him. "I thought you rose with the sun?"

Zuko sat down and slowly stretched his body over the mattress, sighing. "I do. I just know if I don't lay with you now you're going to come find me and drag me to bed later."

"I would not!" Sokka protested, hitting Zuko's chest. 

"Yes you would. And you would be muttering about how I need a nap and about the bags under my eyes and you wouldn't take no for an answer." Zuko explained, a grin twisting his lips.

Sokka didn't see any reason to argue, gently looking over Zuko as the Firelord rested. Sokka knew he was most likely meditating, but that counted as rest too. He sighed softly, his eyes tracing the side of Zuko's face fondly. Even the scar made Zuko attractive. Along with... literally everything about him. It wasn't fair. Sokka almost felt like crying. How is it fair that someone be so pretty?

He also knew if he called Zuko that to his face he would be burned to a crisp.

After a moment he flopped onto his side and groaned, making Zuko breathe out a bit louder. The candles responded again, showing he wasn't sleeping. Sokka pouted at Zuko's way of laughing at him, before moving a bit closer and closing his eyes. 

The way Zuko welcomed Sokka into his side was instinctual, as if he had been doing it for years. 

-

When they docked at the southern tribe, Zuko was nothing short of speechless. First off, they had actual docks. And while it was still under construction, the ice and snow had been reformed to be similar of the northern tribe. Of course, there were stylistic differences unique to the southern tribe, but it was nothing less than impressive. 

"Sokka-- your tribe looks... beautiful." Zuko said, truly not being able to find the words to describe it. Beautiful just seemed to fit it best. 

Sokka looked over the tribe proudly, his stature straightening. In that moment, Zuko had a vision of Sokka as chief of his tribe. A fitting role. 

"It is. Katara and the northern water benders really out-do themselves." Sokka leaned in close to Zuko and whispered into his ear. "But the plans they follow are mine."

Zuko shivered as he felt Sokka's lips against his ear, but he pretended it was from the cold and breathed a little fire to help. He moved toward the docks and stepped down onto them, biting the inside of his cheek. 

Sokka pretended he wasn't disappointed by the way Zuko reacted. Or... didn't react. The servants on the ship unloaded their bags and transferred them to the young men, who stepped off the boat and were met with immediate hugs from Katara and Hakoda. 

Hakoda didn't hug Zuko, they weren't that familiar. But the chief did have a fond smile on his face as they bowed to each other. 

"Firelord Zuko. Good to see you come here to finish the trade treaties with us." The glint in his eye matched the one he saw in Sokka's ninety percent of the time. It was comforting to see a leader who was semi fond of him. 

Katara chatted with her brother for a moment, before she looked at Zuko. "What is that?" She pointed to a small braid in Zuko's hair, grabbing and pulling it to examine it. "Awwwww did Sokka play with your hair?" 

Zuko swatted her hand away, now blushing furiously. "He was bored! You know how he gets when he has nothing to do with his hands." 

When Katara let go, he gently smoothed down the braid and touched the bead tying it fondly. Katara watched him, and never before did she look so much like Sokka. "You're adorable." She said quietly, wrapping an arm around Zuko and leading him to what seemed to be the town square of the tribe.

Children were playing, and in the distance, various waterbenders were slowly building intricate walls of ice. Sokka and Hakoda followed them to the biggest building. "This is where you will be officially staying, but I know you're going to be busy with Sokka too often to be here much." She said, while Zuko nodded. 

"How much of this did you do?" He asked, noticing some of the designs in the walls were the same as her necklace. 

"All of it. This is where visitors stay, and where political paperwork gets sent. I wanted it to be... a special place. A little relaxing for Sokka and Dad." She looked a bit embarrassed, playing with her braid. Zuko did the same with his own subconsciously. 

"I understand. Sometimes having something beautiful to look at helps me make decisions." His eyes wandered to Sokka, who was talking animated with Chief Hakoda as they walked. 

Zuko pretended not to see the smirk on Katara's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really like these two, thank you for the positivity! I haven't ever written something that wasn't around an OC so I thank you guys for the kind words.


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sokka knows how to talk to Zuko. Kind of.

The biggest problem being in the South Pole with Zuko was that Zuko almost always found a way to be busy. Going over trade routes with Hakoda, visiting with Katara and Aang, even meandering about the tribe was keeping him busy. 

Sokka blew the hair out of his face in irritation, pulling it back in the leather band as he pursed his lips. Well. Zuko did say this couldn't be a vacation. 

But Sokka had a plan. He grabbed his knife and started working, creating what he considered to be a nice gift. 

While Sokka did that, Zuko meditated outside. Just outside the tribe, it was mostly quiet. The water tribe was known for being more active at night, so Zuko was able to clear his mind and enjoy the smell of the sea in the early morning. 

He found his mind drifting back to the time he was last here. Right after Aang woke up. He had been absolutely cruel. Shoving around Sokka's grandmother, docking so close to the village... When he remembered doing things like that, he knew that maybe that was why he couldn't bring himself to be honest with Sokka. 

He knew, deep in his heart, Sokka would never see a man as troubled as he is, as a partner in anything but politics. 

He breathed out fire, the flame strong and orange, before calming again. 

In the distance, Sokka watched him. Zuko's hair had grown like weeds ever since the coronation. He knows he refuses to grow it out to the same length as his father and cuts it as soon as it reaches his shoulders, but Sokka was fine with that. As long as Sokka could continue braiding his hair when he got bored and needed tactile stimulation, he was happy. 

Zuko's hair waved in the wind as Sokka watched him, finishing the final touches on Zuko's gift. His tongue stuck out as he concentrated, fiddling away little slivers of wood carefully. 

He nearly threw the thing when his father smacked him on the back. "I think you need to start courting before you make a betrothal necklace, Sokka." He said, sitting with Sokka. "It isn't a betrothal necklace!" Sokka hissed, as if Zuko could hear them from the docks. He showed his father the piece of wood, making the man take it and turn it in his hands. 

"Your woodworking is getting better. I can actually tell this is a turtleduck." Hakoda teased, before handing it back to Sokka. He watched as his son began making the finishing touches on the little trinket.

"Thanks dad, that's great. A gift for the Firelord and you're joking around."

"You would be doing the same to your sister if she had been dancing around Aang for two years."

Sokka felt the embarrassed flush crawl up to his ears. "Yeah, yeah..."

"You look at him like I looked at your mother. At least, that's what Bato says."

"Bato knows?!"

"The better question would be 'Who doesn't know?' " Hakoda pointed out, laughing as his son pouted.

"Is it really... that obvious?" Sokka asked quietly, gently rubbing the head of the turtleduck statue in his hands. 

"To those who don't know you, they see the way Zuko looks at you. It is obvious no matter which perspective you see it from." Hakoda said, wrapping his arm around his son. 

"Wait... you can tell Zuko feels the same? Why didn't you tell me?" 

"...I thought it was obvious. Do you really think it's traditional to wear water tribe braids as Firelord?" 

Sokka blinked, looking out towards the docks again. Zuko was blowing out a steady stream of steam through his mouth in time with his breathing. "...woah..."

Hakoda gently rubbed his son's shoulder before standing. "If he doesn't ask for my blessing before you two get married, I'm going to make him go ice dodging alone." Hakoda threatened, making Sokka laugh. 

"As if he would do it first." Sokka said, standing. His father left him with another smile, before Sokka rushed down to the docks. He skidded to a stop in front of Zuko and threw himself down in a mock bow. "Oh great Firelord, forgive me for disturbing-"

"You're banished."

Sokka laughed loudly and moved to sit so that his knees were touching Zuko's. Zuko opened his eyes and grinned softly. "Yes, Sokka?"

Sokka didn't know how to talk without rambling nervously, so he wordlessly handed Zuko the carving.

Zuko took it in his hands and blinked, gently turning it over and over. "Sokka... what is this for?"

"For you." Sokka said simply, trying not to ramble. Trying, being the key word. He rubbed the back of his neck before placing his hands on Zuko's knees. "I noticed you always get gifts when ambassadors visit and I've only ever brought paperwork and tea, which I know you like but I figured you'd like something else to remember me because I'm your friend, you know? Not just a politician. And anyway you can throw it in the sea if you want its no big, I mean, it could be if you wanted it to but it-"

Sokka was silenced by a hand on his mouth. He scrunched up his face and licked Zuko's hand in response, making the Firelord pull away in disgust. "Shut up, Sokka." Zuko said quietly, now holding the turtleduck in both hands. "Thank you." He said, smiling down at the little statue.  
"You like it?!" Sokka asked, bouncing a little in excitement. 

"Yes, Sokka." Zuko agreed, looking up at his friend. "You know I love the turtleducks. They're my favorite part of the palace." He said, gently placing the carving in the oversized pocket of the parka he was borrowing from Sokka. 

Sokka smiled dopily at Zuko, feeling proud of himself. "So... you like my carving abilities, eh? Think I'm good with my hands?"

Zuko blinked in surprise, blushing. "Well... yes... your woodworking has gotten better over the years, I'm told." 

"Told by me, but I'm a reliable source." 

Zuko laughed a bit louder than normal, and Sokka felt warmth bloom in his chest. Sokka moved to sit next to Zuko on the docks, both of them staring at the water. 

"What if I... were to make you jewelry? Would you wear it?" 

Zuko peaked at him from under his bangs. Out here, he didn't wear the top knot traditional of the Fire Nation. And Sokka was reminded of their time together before the defeat of Bitchlord Ozai. Zuko was so shy then, so jumpy. He had clearly grown into himself in the past few years. The fears of being like his father were there, but manageable. 

"Sokka, I'm... not dumb. I know the necklaces your tribe women wear are typical of betrothals." 

Sokka immediately went blank, before pushing ahead. He had a plan. Not really a plan. But. More like a hunch. He needed to push this. 

"Yes. So what if, sometime, in the future that is... we got to the point where that was expected?"

"What?" Zuko asked, his tone unreadable. 

Sokka sighed and figured plain words would be received better. "Date me you dumbass."

Zuko balked for a second at the crude language, before covering his mouth in shock at the statement. After two minutes, Sokka thought he had severely messed up. "Dammit, okay... that was just a prank, see? A prank, a joke, if you will. We're gonna laugh about this for years-"

He was cut off by a swift kiss to the lips. Zuko was off of him before he could comprehend what happened, but it happened. 

"-...I swear..." Sokka stared at Zuko for a hot minute, before lunging forward and tackling him. Zuko yelled in surprise as they rolled a few feet, before Sokka settled on top of him. "If you're going to kiss me, at least do it right."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Is that a challenge?"

"So what if it is?" Sokka taunted, before he was swiftly thrown onto him back. Before he could retaliate, his arms were pinned above his head and Zuko was kissing him as if his life depended on it. 

It was messy and a little disgusting to watch, but neither of them cared about appearances. Not right now. 

The way their lips slotted together felt familiar. As if they'd been doing it all their lives. It was relatively intense, Sokka realized, as Zuko nipped at his bottom lip to get him to open up. After several moment, Zuko pulled away and looked around. Luckily, nobody had been spying on them. And if someone was, they were gone by now. (Possibly on an air glider, going to tell Katara.)

After a moment, Zuko leaned down and kissed at his jaw. "If we were to get to a point where proposing wouldn't be a surprise, what in the world makes you think you'd do it?"

Sokka laughed as his hands were released, sitting up with Zuko straddling him. "Just a hunch." He said, leaning forward and kissing Zuko again. This one was soft, like he had kissed all those girls before, but he did well not to remember them with Zuko on top of him.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written fanfic in literal years and never for avatar, so..... Hope you guys enjoyed!


End file.
